July 2011 ~ Bianca Star's Blog

Saturday, July 2, 2011

The Coldest Winter Ever

10:16 AM No comments

This book gets all credit for being the breaking barrier into me officially making reading a hobby of mine. I'm blogging this short post for my readers that haven't found reading as a joyous hobby for themselves, or can't for some reason. This book is the reason why I had the inclination to read, and actually enjoy it. This is why I'm suggesting you to read it if you want to be an official reader. I'm not going to ruin the book so I refuse to give ANY details. I read this as a preteen and so did millions of other teenagers, it was THE book to read in high school. If you weren't one of those people, here's your chance to catch up and get with the program. I don't want to say if the ending is sad, happy, or in between, because I'll ruin it and you won't read it. But this book is SURELY an adventure and there are peak points where you WILL cry (I'm not even a crier, and it happened). It's so good that Jada Pinkett-Smith wants to make a movie out of it. Go and get the book!

Why Being A Clean & Organized Person Helps Your Ego

9:34 AM No comments

For those who know me personally, I'm a neat freak. And who better to know it best than the person that made me this way: my mom. My father will testify that when I was younger, I would always get mad at him when he took off his suit and tie and put it over the door, or took off his shoes and not put them back where they belonged. My mom will testify that NO ONE is allowed in my room when I'm gone, and when I'm away at college, I call to check up on how my room is looking. Yes people, it's a bit much. I'm sure I could pass for having OCD.

Though I may take it a bit far by always having a clean place, whether it being my apartment I habitat in for the duration of college or my own personal room back home in Boston, it helps me focus on other important things more acutely. For instance, school is very important to me. It puts me at ease knowing that my habitat is clean. I am able to focus on my work with a happy heart and clear mind. Work is also important for me. I work harder and more diligently knowing that I'm going back home to a clean place.

It may sound weird but I delight in cleaning. I find much more comfort waking up before everybody else in the house to clean. It's a trait brought down from my mother. On the weekends when she doesn't work, the house is clean and breakfast AND dinner is cooked by the time all of us wake up. I actually think it's a West-Indian thing based on testimonies from peers. Nevertheless, I prefer this way. For some reason, it always gives me life knowing that my room/apartment is clean, my laundry, my errands, are all finished by noon. It gives me the rest of the day to go the gym (see Inside Health: Tips On Taking Better Care Of Yourself for my obsession with the steam room/sauna), enjoy a day of shopping with mommy, or a lovely night out dining with friends. Whatever may be the case, I have the rest of the day to do what I want, and most importantly a clean place to come back and rest my head at night.

Organization is also key. You could also call me OCD with this one. When you look into my bag, it's organized. When you open my Mac, you see organized documents with to-do's I have ranging up to 2013. When you walk into my room, you see printed papers posted on my wall and things I'm determined to do by the end of whatever sector I may be in at the time (fall semester, spring semester, or summer), right now I'm in summer. The majority of the goals I write down for each sector are always executed, which ever ones I don't get to gets overlapped to the next sector. I wrote a post over a year ago called Inside Life: Finding Something To Do With Your Life. It's funny because the pictures and writing you see in that post are things I still do to this very day. That goes to show how much those tactics work. I suggest you to check that post out for advice. Albeit, organization is important. Whether it's how your shoes are lined up in your closet, a school folder organized with graded work on one side and ungraded work on the other, or having a manicured to-do list -- organization causes much less of a headache.

Now this is just my crazy self giving advice. Being a clean, organized person is beneficial in many ways. One, I'm doing this for one and one person only, me. It benefits my every day work performance in school, football, work, or whatever commitments I take up. Now as a secondary effect, it also benefits those around me. My mother doesn't complain to having such a clean daughter, my brother surely doesn't when he has friends come over. My roommates back at college never have a complaint about me, in fact I think I may have an effect on them keeping up with their place also. And I sure as hell know my future husband will not be complaining. Learning to be clean in one place aids you in learning how to be clean in other places of your life, the domino effect. Of course, no one is perfect. There are days when I come home tired, create a mess and don't get back to it until weeks later. Sometimes you just don't have the time. There are life crisis' that I've gone through where I fell off my boat months at a time. One thing I learned through these hardships is that mustering up the energy to start cleaning your space after such a crisis, gives you hope, reminds you of who you truly are, and makes you feel much better. Not to mention, being this type of person gives me the ego and confidence the fellas can sniff from a mile away. ;)

Rochelle Alers & Zane

9:08 PM No comments

Alers and Zane are two wonderful African American female authors that I've come to adore over the past few years. As a preteen, I became enthralled in Zane books when the word was going around about her books being about sex. It was a big thing for preteens, as well as Sapphire, Sister Souljah, and Omar Tyree. However, developing into a young, mature woman, I began to stop reading one type of book, and expand my horizon to other types of books. Rochelle Alers has been a wonderful addition.

Alers and Zane, respectfully

Zane is a wonderful author, I am still in the process of reading her whole collection. She takes your imagination to places you have never even dreamed of going. It is impossible to put the book down once you pick it up. It gives you a few laughs and even a few steamy moments if you get too caught up into your imagination. I don't know how she does it, but Zane perfects her writing over and over again, through each book I read. One book is never a duplicate, but all books have the same concept of being in love, having fun, and living life. Nervous is one of my favorite books.

However, I've fell in love with Rochelle Alers' books. Her writing always gives me a piece of serenity. I am always able to block out my surroundings, whether it's on the train, poolside, or while I'm walking (yes, if it's that good) while I'm reading her books. It's a whole different world. I will never forget my first book that triggered me into reading her complete collection, Island Bliss.

I've finished the collections of a few authors including Karinne Steffans and Sister Souljah, but I'm working on a couple of more authors. Right now, I'm focused on the 30+ books I have left to read for Alers. She has over 50. I'm reading a great one so far right now, Bittersweet Love. My favorite, thus far, is Best Kept Secrets. I would not mind reading that book over again. It gives you hope when it comes to finding and being in love (whether it's for the 1st time or the 100th).

I'm not attempting to downplay an author, or put one on top of the other. Zane and Alers are two completely wonderful authors. If you are looking for imminent, extreme entertainment that sometimes can be beyond your imagination, pick up a Zane book, you won't regret it. If you're looking for a more realistic read that you could relate to your life and future, still entertaining, and happiness always being the result, go and get a Alers book. I personally find Zane books to be for the younger generation, and Alers to be for the older generation. However, some older cats need a little extreme entertainment and some younger peeps need a little reality sometimes. Whichever you choose, you will not regret.

Some Alers books

Some Zane books

I read a lot and books are expensive, so I check books out from the library. I completely recommend everybody to go to your local library and purchase a library card. I believe the ones in Boston cost a dollar and the ones in New York cost no more than 5. I tend to find the central libraries the most useful, you're able to utilize a variety of choices rather than in a small town library. New York and Boston's library systems are amazing because you can check in and check out the same book at more than one library. If either of these aren't your current city of residence, just Google it or inquire about it through peers. Feel free to visit the more prominent bookstores such as Barnes & Nobles and Borders also. All I know is, get your butt a book by one of these authors.

FYI: Alers is, in fact, my favorite author.

Author, Oscar Wilde

7:08 PM No comments

Not a long post. Oscar Wilde is my favorite European writer. His whit is what charms me, even over 100 years after the fact.

Recommended books: The Importance of Being Earnest, An Ideal Husband, A Woman of No Importance, Lady Windermere's Fan

His real life is also very interesting. Having sporadic involvements with men. Prison life. Seclusion. His work reflects his life.

Wilde's writing is the spunkier version of his peer-writers from his era. It's hilarious and he is the perfectionist of sarcasm. Everything he says is just as sarcastic as you would hear sarcasm today, except with very strong vocabulary (haha imagine). I found myself laughing a lot throughout his books and I also ended up writing down a lot of quotes. Interesting guy. Check him out.